Scaffold hanger



April 18, 1961 H. G. LEONARD SCAFFOLD HANGER 2 Sheets-Sheet 1 Filed June19, 1959 INVENTOR. HENDERSON G. LEONARD HTTORNfY April 18, 196] H. e.LEONARD SCAFFOLD HANGER 2 Sheets-Sheet 2 Filed June 19, 1959 IN V EN T0R.

Fig 5 HENDERSON 6. LEON/1RD @MMM ATTORNEY Unite This invention relatesto improvements in scaffold hangers. The principal objects of thisinvention are:

First, to provide a novel form of scaffold hanger for securelysupporting a workmans scaffold from an overhead beam or truss whichhanger is adjustable to fit various sizes of supporting beams.

Second, to provide a scaffold hanger'having adjustable divergent beamengaging hooks that are held against collapse by a hand rail supportingbracket on the scaffold hanger.

Third, to provide a scaffold hanger which is adjustably engageable withsupporting beams of different sizes and lockably rollable in adjustedposition to prevent accidental disengagement from the beam.

Fourth, to provide arscaffold hanger having spaced beam engaging armstied together to move concurrently along a supporting beam and having awinch and lift cable mounted between the arms with the cable guided bythe tie between the arms for hoisting the hanger to position.

Fifth, to provide a scafiold hanger which is simple to adjust andrelatively inexpensive to manufacture and yet is rugged and positive inits supporting engagement with the supporting beam.

Other objects and advantages of'the invention 'will be apparent from aconsideration of the following description and claims. The drawings, ofwhich there are two sheets, illustrate a highly practical form of thescaffold hanger.

Fig. 1 is a fragmentary. side view of the scaffoldhanger of theinvention.

Fig. 2 is a fragmentary cross sectional view taken along the plane ofthe line 2-2 in Fig. 1.

Fig. 3 is a fragmentary end elevational view of the hanger.

Fig. 4 is a fragmentary cross-sectional view taken along the plane ofthe line 4-4 in Fig. 3.

Fig. 5 is a fragmentary cross-sectional'view illustrating the lockingengagement between the hand rail support and the divergent beam engagingarms of the hanger taken along the plane of the lines 5-5 in Fig. 3.

In the erection and maintenance of overhead structures such as bridgesand roofs it is often necessary to support a platform underneath thestructure on which workmen may stand while Working on the structureoverhead. This has been done'by means of scaffold hangers that engage abeam or truss of the structure and hang therebelow to support a footplank or scaffold for the workmen to stand on. It will be appreciatedthat two scaffold hangers engaged with spaced beams -or trusses areemployed to support the opposite ends of the scaffold or platform butonly one of the scaffold hangers islillustrated herein.

The hanger comprises a U-shaped support shownin part in Fig. 1 andincluding a horizontal bar 1 :adapted to support a scaffold platform andupright arms2. Near :the upper .ends of .the 2 ;a pairmt divergent bars3 Sift-ts Y ,receive and support rollers 9. Rigidly secured to eachhanger member 7 asby welding and projecting inwardly therefrom inopposed overlapping relation to the corresponding part on the otherhanger member is a spreader bar 10 having a loop or ferrule 11 on itsprojecting end and defining a'series of transverse holes 12. The ferrule11 on one spreader bar embraces the other spreader bar and holds thebars in straight overlapping but longitudinally adjustable relation. Apin 13 is passed selectively through the holes 12 to determine thespacing between the upper ends of the hanger member 7 and the rollers 9.

Vertically adjustably mounted on each upright arm 2 above the point ofconnection of the divergent bars 3 thereto is a loop or sleeve 14 havingan outwardly and upwardly angled bracket 15 on its outer side. Thesleeve 14 is adapted to be clamped to the upper end of the arm 2 by aset screw 16 with the lower edges of the sleeve in abutting engagementwith the divergent bars 3 as indicated at 17 in Fig. 3. The brackets 15are adapted to support the ends of hand rails shown in phantom at 18that extend in parallel relation above a platform supported on thecrossbar 1.

From the foregoing description it will be apparent that by loosening theclamp screws 16 and raising the sleeves 15 and also removing the pin 13the angled hook member 7 and the rollers 9 carried thereby can be spreadfurther apart or moved closer together depending upon the size of thebeam overrwhich the rollers 3 are to be hooked. The spreading adjustmentof hook member 7 permits easy installation of the hangers on the beam bypermitting the rollers to be engaged over the opposite edges of the beamand then drawn close together so that the .rollers and hooks cannot beaccidently disengaged from the beam. The lock pins 13 are then passedthrough the holes 12 in the overlapping spreader bars and the sleeves 14are moved downwardly into blocking engagement between the lower ends ofthe divergent bars 3 and clamped in place by clamp screws 16. The lowercrossbar 1 is in position to safely support a scaffold platform and thebrackets 15 are ready to support spaced hand rails.

In the operative position of the hanger the spreader bars 10 primarilyprevent accidental spreading of the hook member 7 and consequentdisengaging of the rolls from the supporting beam. In addition, theblocking engagement of the sleeves 14 between the divergent bars 3prevents downward tension applied to the connecting bolt -4 from drawingthe divergent bars 3 and the pins 6 at their upper end closer togetherthus spreading the rollers 9. The load on the scaffold is thus safelyand approximately equally distributed between the four rollers 9 and thepivot pins 6 so that a safe and stable support for the scaffold isprovided. 4

The hanger structure thus far described is entirely adequate forsecurely and safely supporting a scaffold from a beam, but in order tofacilitate the raising and lowering of the scaffold with or withoutworkmen thereon and for temporarily relieving the load on the rollers 9and angled hanger-members 7 for shifting the scaffold along the sup-'port beam, a winch indicated in its entirety at 19 is supported betweenthe upright arms 2 of the U-shapedsupport. The winch is connected to theU-shaped support winch by a pivot pin 21. In order to hold the'strapszfl"nected to their upper endsand-Swingablefin parallel ,straps having Ushaped clipson th ir lower en 'ing the edges of said uprightiarrns to'prevent'later al tilting of the straps, a "cable carried byi'said*winch"and "adapted to extend thereabove to steam engagingiclamp, "a tie barextending itransyerse'ly between the upper ends I V v "of-said uprightarms andhavifig u-shapea clips case 75 hanger bar and adapted to beclamped theretoin abutted AA AAA A by downwardlyfdivergent straps 20.conneetedrto the upright their lower ends are provided with downwardlytu nedl b 1 ,27 wi outward y. star n ushanedn l psl th ea d l Qfll b o ec ip ee hc'ma nl n Lappliedito the straps 2Q "isrvertically upward, vtheljqhannel :shaped'clips 23 and screwsj2 4 are.suflicient vto hold theing hand rail engaging brackets mounted on their outer d ver n r p nupward extending pps ti tb w n r i l ms e e r25 om- W hi ended nwar ly Isuitab e o 26 t at se be a as dfi e pbolt 2 7 carried by a temporarysupporting clampZ S eng'agepassed through one of said holes andcomprising diverfe Ov r t e fla s o a am u h asis ndi a d at from whichthelscafiold is to;be supportedhflhe clamp 28 isrelatively small andlight ,and can be installed or removed by meansoffa long pole prior toattaching the ing on the beam; With the clamp '28 and cable 25con}inecte d to the beam workmenmay stand on the scaffold and operate thecranks30 of the winches carried byithe ends embracing the edges of saidupright arms, and a U-shaped'angled clipse'cured in concavely facingrelation to theside of said tie bar and defining a guideway passing thecable of said winch, the'upper ends of said secured theretog -Iheseclimembrace the5edges offthe 5 upright arms having sleeves adjustablyslidable thereon pris ta s '2' a 9nn u -s re si24Lat rest d Y mnsh h l Po ided t r fo th i..upr ght r s: a

between said tie bar and the pivotal connections between said divergentbars and said upright arms with means for clamping said sleeves inblocking engagement with'the divergent edges'of said divergent bars,-said sleeves havsidesi a A a t r 2. A scaffold.hangercomprising aU=shaped support having upright arrns'having vertically spaced holestherein, a hanger selectively connected to each arm by a bolt gent barsengaged with the bolt, beam engaging hooks pivotal-1y connected totheupper ends of said divergent bars ,andhaving opposed inwardlyextendingpintles on l U i p r their upper ends, rollers, rotatablymounted on said'pinscafiold and scafiold hanger thereto, -;Alternativelythe tles, 'spreader bars fixedly secured tosaid hooks and "clamp 28 canbe installed from above by some'onestandfprojectinginwardly intooverlapped relation, ferrules on eachspreader encircling} theoverlapping spreader," and means selectively connecting said Spreadersin selected degrees of overlap to adjustably fix the, spacing of saidha'ngersat each end ofrthe scafiold to raiseth'erscaffold 25 r n irollers, and n mi rf en i 1ing and themselves to the operative position0 f the scaffold. gThe clamps 28 do not providelsuflicient securityandsafety to support the scaffold "as the workmenmovea around :inthe'performanceof their duties but after the said upright armsaudadapted to be clamped thereto in abutted relation between said divergentbarsto obstruct collapsing movementtofthedivergent bars; r

' l3. A scafiold hanger comprisingVajU-shaped support an 11511851.; flfi b n 5 a engaged, W 30 having upright arnis'having vertically spacedholes therethe beam as previously described the scalfoldis firmly t "andsafely supported for tree movement offtheiwork inen onthescafi0ld r t HW M.

1111 order to prevent lateral flexing of the upright bars clips securedin concavely facing relation to the sides channel for the upwardlyextending reachiof the cable -.25 connected to each hanger. 'Ihe tie bar31 thus pergethervaind guiding the c able so that the cable be held mupwardly 'extendgd posmon and will -support the nected to the upperends-of saidtdivergent bars and having opposed' inwardlyextendingpintles on their upper winch 19 against swinging downwardly about thepivot pin 21when the cable is not under tension. f V i plane'sperpendicular to the plane of the 'U-s'haped' support, angled hangermembers pivotally connected to the upper ends of said divergent bars andhaving 'ifl'wa'rdly directedpintles on their upper ends with rollers'thereon,

spreader bars rigidly connected to said angled hanger members andprojecting inwardly 'in'over1appi'ng relation with the spreader bar onthe oppds'edfhangr member,

means forming guides on said spreader'bars holding the lapped bars inlapped relation, said spreader bars'defining holes r selectivelypositioned in registering relation, pins passed through registeringholesin said spreader bars, a

winch positioned 'between said upright afmsl and con-;

\ nected thereto by downwardly divergent straps; said I x.

" 3 eihbrac. -mgmwardlyinto overlapped relation; a ferrule on one 'barsfixedly secured to said hooks and projecting incirclingssaid uprightarms and adaptcd'to bev clamped thereto in abutted relation between saiddivergent bars f the tie bar by bolts 36 to form a guide and :retaihing5 to obstruct lcollapsing movement of the divergent bars.

4. A scafiold hanger comprising a hanger barvhaving vertically' spacedholes therein, divergent bars engaged with a pin through one of saidholes on opposite sides of the hanger bar, beam engag'ing hookspivotally' conends, rollers rotatably mounted on said pintles, spreaderwardly into overlapped relation, ferruleson: each spreader 55 encirclingthe overlapping spreader, a pin selectively connecting saidspreaders inselected degrees of overlap to 'adjustably fix the spacing ofsaidhooksand said rollers, and an annular member encircling said hanger bar andadapted -to be clamped thereto in abutted relation between saiddivergent bars to "obstruct collapsing movem of h d rs ba s A t 5. Ascaffoldhanger comprising a hanger bar-having Jrertically spaced holestherein, divergent bars with 'a pin h u 'of-s dho es, b en a h o -p yconnected to the upper ends of said divergent bars and :having' opposedinwardly extending pintles ontheir up 'per ends; rollersgrotatablymounted -:on said pintles,

spreader bars fixedlysecured to said hooks and projectspreaderencircling the overlapping spreader, apin selectively connecting saidSpreaders in selected degrees of overlap to adjustablyfix the 'spacin g'of said hooks and said rollers; and an annular' member iencircling 'saidrelation between said divergent bars to obstruct collaps- :ing movementof the divergent bars.

6. A scaffold hanger comprising a U-shaped support having upright armswith divergent bars pivotally connected to their upper ends andswingable in parallel planes perpendicular to the plane of the U-shapedsup port, angled hanger members pivotally connected to the upper ends ofsaid divergent bars and having inwardly directed pintles on their upperends with rollers thereon, spreader bars rigidly connected to saidangled hanger members and projecting inwardly in overlapping relationwith the spreader bar on the opposed hanger member, means forming guideson said spreader bars holding the lapped bars in lapped relation, saidspreader bars defining holes selectively positioned in registeringrelation, pins passed through registering holes in said spreader bars, awinch positioned between said upright arms and connected thereto bydownwardly divergent straps, a cable carried by said winch and adaptedto extend thereabove to a beam engaging clamp, a tie bar extendingtransversely between the upper ends of said upright arms, and an angledclip secured in concavely facing relation to the side or said tie barand defining a guideway passing the cable of said winch, the upper endsof said upright arms having sleeves adjustably slidable thereon betweensaid tie bar and the pivotal connections between said divergent bars andsaid upright arms with means for clamping said sleeves in blockingengagement with the divergent edges of said divergent bars.

7. A scaflold hanger comprising a U-shaped support having upright armswith divergent bars pivotally connected to their upper ends andswingable in parallel planes perpendicular to the plane of the U-shapedsupport, angled hanger members pivotally connected to the upper ends ofsaid divergent bars and having inwardly directed pintles on their upperends with rollers thereon, spreader bars rigidly connected to saidangled hanger members and projecting inwardly in overlapping relationwith the spreader bar on the opposed hanger member, means forming guideson said spreader bars holding the lapped bars in lapped relation, saidspreader bars defining holes selectively positioned in registeringrelation, pins passed through registering holes in said spreader bars, awinch positioned between said upright arms and connected thereto bydownwardly divergent straps, a cable carried by said winch and adaptedto extend thereabove to a beam engaging clamp, a tie bar extendingtransversely between the upper ends of said upright arms, the upper endsof said upright arms having sleeves adjustably slidable thereon betweensaid tie bar and the pivotal connections between said divergent bars andsaid upright arms with means for clamping said sleeves in blockingengagement with the divergent edges of said divergent bars.

8. A scaffold hanger comprising a U-shaped support having upright armswith divergent bars pivotally connected to their upper ends andswingable in parallel planes perpendicular to the plane of the Ushapedsupport, angled hanger members pivotally connected to the upper ends ofsaid divergent bars and having inwardly directed pintles on their upperends with rollers thereon, spreader bars rigidly connected to saidangled hanger members and projecting inwardly in overlapping relationwith the spreader bar on the opposed hanger member, means forming guideson said spreader bars holding the lapped bars in lapped relation, saidspreader bars defining holes selectively positioned in registeringrelation, pins passed through registering holes in said spreader bars, atie bar extending transversely between the upper ends of said uprightarms, the upper ends of said upright arms having sleeves adjustablyslidable thereon between said tie bar and the pivotal connectionsbetween said divergent bars and said upright arms with means forclamping said sleeves in blocking engagement with the divergent edges ofsaid divergent bars.

References Cited in the file of this patent UNITED STATES PATENTS

